Adding branded merchandise to your restaurant or bar is a savvy move that can boost your revenue and create a stronger connection with your customers. By selling items like t-shirts, hats, or mugs with your logo, you can turn your loyal patrons into walking advertisements for your establishment. Not only does it provide an additional revenue stream, but it also helps to increase brand visibility and loyalty among your customer base. With the potential for increased sales and brand recognition, offering branded merchandise is a smart strategy for restaurants and bars looking to enhance their business. Keep reading to learn more about how to get started with selling your own merchandise.
Shop All Customizable ProductsBenefits of Selling Merchandise
Offering customized branded merchandise sets your restaurant or bar apart from the competition. It gives customers a tangible way to connect with your brand and can help you stand out in a crowded market. Here are some other benefits of selling merchandise:
- Brand Awareness: By selling merchandise with your restaurant or bar's logo and branding, you're essentially turning your customers into walking billboards. Whether they're wearing a branded T-shirt or using a branded mug, they're promoting your business wherever they go.
- Customer Loyalty: Offering merchandise for sale can help foster a sense of customer loyalty. When they purchase and use your branded items, they feel a stronger connection to your establishment, increasing the likelihood that they'll return.
- Additional Revenue Stream: Selling merchandise provides an additional revenue stream for your business. Whether it's through online sales, at your physical location, or at events, the profit from merchandise sales can add up and contribute to your bottom line.
- Memorable Experience: When customers take home a piece of your restaurant or bar in the form of merchandise, they're more likely to remember their experience with you. This can lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing and repeat business.
How to Get Started with Selling Restaurant Merchandise
If you're interested in selling branded merchandise, but you don't know where to start, we made this list for you. We've broken the process down into actionable steps that will guide you on your newest venture:
1. Choose the Right Products for Your Brand
The first step in the process of creating and selling merchandise is to match the right product with your restaurant brand. Different types of foodservice businesses have unique branding and target audiences, so it's important to choose merchandise that aligns with their brand identity. Let's explore some examples of foodservice businesses and the suitable merchandise for their brand:
- Coffee Shops: In today's fast-paced world, many customers are looking for ways to enjoy their coffee on the go. Offering travel tumblers with your logo can appeal to these customers and provide them with a convenient option for enjoying their favorite drinks. Consider offering a range of coffee accessories such as French presses, pour-over brewers, or coffee grinders. These items can appeal to coffee enthusiasts looking to elevate their home brewing experience.
- Pizza Shops: For a pizza shop, merchandise that aligns with the fun and casual atmosphere of these establishments is ideal. Think about offering branded pizza cutters, aprons, or even pizza-themed apparel like T-shirts or hats.
- Bakeries: Bakeries evoke feelings of warmth and nostalgia. Offering merchandise like aprons and baking kits can appeal to customers who enjoy baking at home and appreciate the artistry of baked goods.
- BBQ Restaurants: If you own a BBQ joint and you aren't bottling and selling your signature sauces, what are you waiting for? Bottled sauces let your customers bring a little taste of your menu home with them, creating a lasting connection to your brand.
- Fine Dining Restaurants: If you operate a fine dining restaurant or upscale wine bar, skip the branded T-shirts. Instead, target those who value culinary excellence with custom wine glasses, elegant aprons, chef's knives, or gourmet food gift baskets.
- Quality: Quality is paramount when it comes to merchandise, so make sure the supplier offers products that meet your standards. You want merchandise that is not only visually appealing but also durable and well-made. Take the time to inspect samples and ask about the materials and manufacturing processes used.
- Reliability: Your supplier should be able to meet your demands in terms of quantity and delivery deadlines. Look for a supplier who communicates effectively and is responsive to your needs. This will help ensure a smooth and efficient supply chain for your merchandise.
- Customization Services: If you want to create unique merchandise that represents your restaurant's brand, look for a supplier that offers customization services. This can include adding your logo, colors, or specific designs to the products.
- Shipping and Delivery: Review the supplier's shipping and delivery options. Quick and reliable shipping is essential to ensure that you receive your merchandise on time and in good condition.
- Customer Service and Support: A reputable supplier should have excellent customer service to address any issues or concerns you may have. Look for a supplier that is responsive, helpful, and willing to work with you to meet your needs.
- Price and Terms: While cost is an important factor, it's essential to balance price with quality. Compare pricing from different suppliers and consider the terms of payment, discounts, and any additional fees.
- Hire a Graphic Designer: Not everyone has an artistic eye, so there's nothing wrong with going straight to the professionals. You already have a lot on your plate when running a restaurant, so think about hiring a designer. A professional graphic designer can help bring your vision to life and create designs that are both visually appealing and on-brand. They can help you design logos, graphics, and artwork that will resonate with your target audience and make your merchandise stand out.
- Utilize a Design Program: Utilizing a design program can also be a game-changer in the merchandising world. Design programs like Adobe Illustrator or Canva allow you to create custom designs, manipulate graphics, and experiment with different layouts and color schemes. These tools give you the flexibility to try out various design ideas and see what works best for your merchandise.
- Consider Trends: Trends play a significant role in the success of any merchandise line. Keeping an eye on current trends in the food and beverage industry, as well as in fashion and pop culture, can inspire unique and on-trend designs for your restaurant merchandise. Whether it's a quirky catchphrase that's trending on social media or a popular color scheme seen in the latest fashion collections, incorporating these elements into your merchandise can make them more appealing to customers who want to stay current and stylish.
- Seasonality: Seasonality is another factor to consider when designing restaurant merchandise. Creating products that reflect the changing seasons and upcoming holidays can create a sense of excitement and urgency for customers to make a purchase. For example, offering fall-inspired designs during the autumn months or festive ornaments and apparel for the holiday season can help boost sales and create a sense of exclusivity for your merchandise.
- Choose the Right Platform: Select a user-friendly e-commerce platform that aligns with your brand and makes it easy for customers to browse and purchase your merchandise online. Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Square Online Store are popular choices for restaurants looking to sell merchandise.
- Create High-Quality Product Images: Invest in professional product photography to showcase your merchandise in the best light possible. High-quality images can make a significant difference in attracting customers and driving sales.
- Write Compelling Product Descriptions: Craft engaging and informative product descriptions that highlight the features and benefits of each item. Use persuasive language to entice customers to make a purchase.
- Set Up Secure Payment Processing: Ensure that your online store offers secure payment processing options to protect your customers' sensitive information. Popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Square can help you securely process transactions.
By understanding the unique characteristics of different foodservice businesses and their customer demographics, you can effectively match the right type of merchandise with their brand. This not only enhances the overall customer experience but also boosts brand loyalty and generates additional revenue through merchandise sales.
2. Find a Reputable Merchandise Supplier
Once you've identified the type of merchandise you want to sell, the next step is to find a reliable supplier. Look for vendors who offer high-quality products at competitive prices and have a track record of timely delivery.
3. Design Your Merchandise
It's not enough to slap a basic logo on your merchandise and call it a day. Customers are looking for cool, unique designs that are memorable and eye-catching. To be successful in selling your restaurant merch, make sure to put time and effort into the design process. Here are some tips to get you started:
4. Set Up an Online Store or Display Area
One key aspect of visual merchandising is creating eye-catching displays that draw attention to your merchandise. Use color, lighting, and signage to highlight your products and make them stand out. Group similar items together and create clear pathways for customers to move through the store. This will make it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and encourage them to explore all of your offerings.
Selling your products online is a great way to expand your reach. Keep these tips in mind when you set up a shopping page on your restaurant website:
5. Monitor Sales and Gather Feedback
One effective way to monitor sales is to utilize a point-of-sale (POS) system that allows you to track the performance of your merchandise in real time. With a POS system, you can easily access detailed sales reports, analyze trends, and identify which items are selling well and which ones may need to be reevaluated. This data-driven approach can provide valuable insights that will guide your merchandising strategy and help you make data-driven decisions.
In addition to monitoring sales data, gathering feedback from your customers is essential for understanding their preferences and satisfaction levels with your merchandise. Encourage customers to provide feedback through surveys, comment cards, or online reviews. By actively seeking out and listening to customer feedback, you can gain valuable insights into what is working well and what can be improved upon. This feedback loop is crucial for continually refining your merchandise offerings and ensuring that they align with your customers' needs and preferences.
Back to Top
By offering branded merchandise, you are giving customers the opportunity to extend their experience beyond the dining table. They can take a piece of your restaurant home with them, which acts as a tangible reminder of their visit, sparking memories of delicious meals and pleasant moments shared with friends and family.
